Tearful Martina Loses German Open to Teen-Ager

Steffi Graf, the 16-year-old West German, upset a tearful top-seeded Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-3 to win the West German Women’s Open today, snapping the champion’s 31-match winning streak.

The rapidly rising West German star completely dominated the match with punishing forehands and accurate passing shots.

“I played my best tennis today. But Martina is still the No. 1 player in the world,” Graf said.

Navratilova broke into tears and was visibly disappointed as she received a check for $13,000 for her second-place finish.

“I am sorry I didn’t play better, especially with my father and mother and my sister watching,” the 29-year-old left-hander said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Navratilova’s sister Jana, 23, emigrated from their native Czechoslovakia in March and has asked for political asylum in West Germany. Martina has been a U.S. citizen since the early 1980s.